As I complete my eighth and final year on the Foster City Council, there are a lot of people to thank and a lot to be proud of. As I have traveled throughout the State on both City and personal business, I am always proud of how Foster City compares to other cities.
Sound financial planning, placing money in reserves, creating replacement funds for equipment and having an aggressive maintenance schedule for everything from parks to vehicles to water pumps has made this a great place to live.
During the recent financial downturn, other cities were cutting drastically into services to the public (including public safety services). We in Foster City, sharpened our pencils and were careful in our spending, but had the ability to tap reserves to keep essential services functioning.
While other cities skipped repairing roads or replacing aging equipment, we had already “saved” that money and were able to maintain the full service to the City. We paid “cash” for our new City Hall and public service buildings and all bonds with the City will be retired early, ahead of schedule.
There are not many cities in the country that can make that claim. Our Parks and Recreation, Public Service, Foster City TV and even our Youth Advisory Committee have received statewide and sometimes even national recognition for the outstanding community we maintain. I am very proud to have served in a community as wonderful as Foster City.
And, what makes Foster City so wonderful? Certainly, the people and the level of employee and citizen commitment. I would be remiss if I did not thank the 260 employees of Foster City who keep our parks pristine, our streets safe and all of those hidden essential services (like water and sewer, planning, etc.) running smoothly.
The typical Foster City employee does not hop from job to job. Rather, these are employees who have made Foster City a career. They are proud of their work and service to the City and I am grateful for those dedicated individuals.
The City also has another 100 active citizens on its advisory committees. The input of these individuals, along with many others who volunteer their time to projects, service clubs and youth sports activity is what makes this City so special.
For those of you who have attended Council meetings, sent me emails or stopped me in the grocery store to share your views on a particular issue, thank you. I have always tried to listen to those views and consider all comments before making a decision.
I have always said that “Democracy is not a Spectator Sport”, that one must be both informed and engaged in making and keeping our government honest, responsive and strong. Leaving the Council just means a change of venue for me; I will still continue to be active in the community.
It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to serve on the City Council. I thank you for trusting me with this responsibility.
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